Colorado Rural Oral Health Workforce Initiative

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Colorado Rural Oral Health Workforce Initiative

Targeted counties:
Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Jackson, La Plata, Moffat, Montezuma, Ouray, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, San Juan, San Miguel, Summit, Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, Yuma, Baca, Bent, Chaffee, Cheyenne, Crowley, Custer, Fremont, Huerfano, Kiowa, Lake, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers
Sources of funding:
Foundations:	N/A
Local government:	N/A
State government:	N/A
Federal government:	100%
Donations:	N/A
Tuition:	N/A
Other:	N/A
Other specified:
A 40% match of state funds is required for this initiative. The 40% match comes from the state dental loan repayment program.
Total:	100%

To promote dental providers to practice in rural areas through the assessment of current rural practitioners, exposure of students to rural settings, and loan repayment for those working in rural areas.

Organization:	Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: Oral Health Unit of the Preventive Services Division
Collaborates with other organizations:	Yes
Collaborating organizations:	Colorado Health Institute University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine
Targeted professions:	Dental Hygienist, Dentist (DDS)
Targeted place in education pipeline:	Elementary school, Middle school, High school, Vocational/technical school, 2-year/community college, 4-year/university, Graduate or medical school, Residency or post-graduate

Data collected:

Rural Workforce Survey, dental loan repayment annual report, annual report of the University of Colorado Smilemakers van. Yes, these are available publicly.

Major accomplishments:

Rural workforce report showing characteristics or rural dentists. 3 dentists received loan repayment, providing care to 2631 underserved patients in rural counties--Yuma, Prowers, and Chaffee. The smilemakers van has allowed 45 students to practice in a rural setting serving 570 patients.

Barriers to expansion:

Funding, Staff, Space

Data

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